Chapter 328 — Between Duty and Heart
The Hollow moved like a living organism. Orders shouted, supplies carried, families hastily gathering belongings—it was chaos, but purposeful chaos. Word of the orc horde spread like wildfire, sparking fear in every corner. Yet beneath that fear, Kael could see something more: determination. His people would not go quietly.
The council coordinated as best they could. Selina oversaw rationing, her voice sharp and commanding as she made sure no family was left without food. Rogan directed the militia, drilling them into formations that might buy time if the orcs advanced too soon. Thalos, though his body was frail, moved from group to group, calming the frightened with quiet words of wisdom.
Kael stood above it all for a moment, watching. It weighed on him, heavy and suffocating. This was what leadership truly was—not glory, not power, but carrying the weight of every single life on his shoulders.
That night, as the stars glimmered faintly above, Kael stepped away from the heart of the Hollow. He needed air. He needed silence. But instead of silence, he found Lyria waiting at the edge of the forest.
She wore no armor, just a simple dress, moonlight glinting in her silver hair. Her eyes softened when they met his.
"You were avoiding me," she said gently.
Kael tried to smile, but it faltered. "I thought you'd be busy with Azhara and the healers."
"I was," Lyria admitted, stepping closer. "But I felt your pain, Kael. I always do."
Her hand found his, cool and steady. He looked down, shadows of exhaustion in his gaze.
"Tell me the truth," she whispered. "Do you really believe you can kill this Overlord?"
Kael exhaled slowly, his throat tightening. "I don't know. I've fought horrors, Lyria. Creatures that shattered armies. But this…" He shook his head. "This is different. I feel like I'm standing at the edge of the world, and one wrong step means everything ends."
Lyria didn't answer immediately. Instead, she pulled him closer, resting her forehead against his chest. "Then let me stand at that edge with you. Even if you fall, I want to fall knowing I stood where you stood. That I didn't let you face it alone."
Her words cracked something in him. His arms wrapped around her, fierce and desperate. For the first time that day, he let himself breathe.
"Lyria," he whispered, voice breaking, "you are my anchor. Whatever comes, I'll carry you in my heart."
The moment shattered when Azhara appeared, her usual serenity nowhere to be found. Her eyes burned with tears and fury as she stormed up to Kael.
"You arrogant fool!" she spat, slamming her fists into his chest. He didn't flinch, didn't move, letting her strike him again and again. "You think you can just throw yourself to death and call it duty?! That's not leadership, Kael—it's selfishness!"
"Azhara—"
"No!" Her voice cracked as she pounded her fists against him, tears streaming. "We need you! I need you! You can't just—just—"
Her strength finally gave out, and she collapsed against him, trembling.
Kael wrapped his arms around her gently, lowering his chin to rest against her hair. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I don't want to leave you, or anyone. But if I don't face him, the Hollow dies. The forest dies. The world dies."
Her voice was muffled against his chest, thick with pain. "I don't care about the world. I care about you."
The words cut deep, sharper than any blade.
Lyria, still standing close, placed a hand on Azhara's shoulder. Her voice was soft, steadying. "Then we'll make sure he comes back. Together."
The three of them stood there beneath the stars, tangled in grief, love, and unspoken promises. For a fleeting moment, time stopped. And though Kael's fear still lingered, so too did the warmth of the people who refused to let him walk into darkness alone.